Hero Worship
by Requ
Summary: AU. What if Kim was the older and Shego the younger? How different would their lives be if their rivalry never existed? Chapters one and two are currently in the progress of being completely rewritten.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Hero Worship

**Author:** Requ

**Disclaimers:** Insert standard disclaimers here.

**Summary:** AU. What if Kim was the older and Shego the younger? How different would their lives be if their rivalry never existed? Eventual Kigo.

**Author's Note:** This idea was mostly inspired by a challenge off the KP Slash Haven Forums by Leolupin and Rinacat's corresponding artwork.

Credit goes to P.D. Pirl for allowing me to borrow her Go family personalities/history.

-

Kim Possible was a morning person, one of those horribly cheerful, fresh and ready for the start of the new day at the crack of dawn kind of people. Her clothes were neat and clean and fashionable, her hair combed to a silky sheen, minimal make up applied and her green eyes, often described as the shade of summer grass, were bright and alert. With breakfast already cooking on the stove, Kim sat down on the bed and sighed at her girlfriend's mop of blonde hair.

Vivian F. Porter, scientist extraordinaire, was sleeping the sleep of the dead that Kim was all too familiar with. Kim never slept like the dead; her habits were more like that of a cat.

"Vivian, sweetie, you have to get up."

"Zzz…"

"It's already past seven, even with my car, it's a thirty minute ride."

"Zzz…"

"We have to get to Middleton by eight, maybe eight thirty if Barkin's mellowed out, but really, sweetie, you have to get up."

Vivian's response was to tuck herself more securely into the covers and snore louder. Kim shook her girlfriend's shoulder again.

"If you don't get up, I won't make you any bacon. And I mean it this time, I'm going to give it all to Bee." Vivian's arm whipped out like a snake and latched onto Kim's upper arm. With a heave and an alarmed yelp from Kim, Vivian had Kim flat on the bed.

Kim puffed out a breath. "My hair-"

"Mmm, you can just comb it again, or get one of the droids to do it," Vivian murmured. Sleep-softened lips danced along Kim's collarbone to the base of her throat.

Kim's lids lowered against her will. "Vivian, that is so cheating-"

"The bacon bit was cheating, too." Vivian nipped Kim's throat, smiling at Kim's quick intake of breath. She moved in for the kill and missed. She frowned.

Kim had turned her face away and raised her brows at Vivian. "Morning breath, sweetie. No play until you brush your teeth."

Vivian scowled down at the redhead. "That was totally a trap."

"Sure it was. Since you're awake, you might as well get dressed and come get some of that sainted bacon. Hm, I think it's burning, get off me." Kim pushed Vivian off and trotted out of the room, grinning the entire way.

She knew exactly what expression Vivian was throwing at her retreating back.

* * *

"Shego, you know how I feel about this-"

"_Everybody_ knows how you feel about this."

"-you should come home immediately and forget this crazy idea of yours. You're not even eighte-"

"You're not eighteen either."

"_That is beside the point!_ Anyway, I will be in a few weeks-"

"Still not eighteen."

"Ten months older than you! And don't interrupt me! That is rude and disrespectful!"

"My middle name!"

"No, it's not, your middle name is-"

"GOD, you're stupid." Shego ground her teeth and wondered if the phone could transmit the sound of her frustration. How was this buffoon even remotely related to her, much less her brother? Her _older _brother?

"Aside from that, what about Team Go? How can you help people in need if you're not with the rest of the team?"

"Hego, I'm on a break. BREAK. What part of that word do you not understand?"

"You can't be on break! The helpless do not wait for heroes to-"

"Hego, stop hogging the phone!"

Shego heard a faint struggle and winced at the unmistakable sound of the phone being dropped, then groaned at the new owner's voice.

"Don't worry about Hego, sis, he's not convincing either mother or daddy. So stay away for a good long time, okay? I'll take care of things from here."

Shego cast her eyes skyward and prayed for patience. "Mego, that is creepy. I'm hanging up now."

"Wait, Mego, we want to talk to sis!"

Another struggle for the phone that made Shego wince, followed by a simultaneous "HI SIS!"

Shego had to grin. "Hey, guys. Don't let Hego or Mego bully you two around, okay? I know they're both big idiots, but you can handle 'em."

"Got it, sis!"

"Right on! We still have Mego's diary-"

"And Hego's comics-"

"So it's all under control!"

"Oh, and mom wants to talk to you."

The phone was passed around again and she could hear a faint feminine voice asking, "Why is Aaron sulking in the corner?" "IT'S HEGO, MOTHER, HEGO." The voice became louder and clearer. "Angel? Is everything all right?

Shego relaxed. Talking to her mother always calmed her; there was something about that pretty teasing voice that had the same effect on the entire family, including daddy. "I'm okay, mommy. Everything's all right."

"Well, that's good. No, Ian, you can't have her room, that's still hers. Daddy will be furious if you move your sister's things around like that. Anyway, how's the apartment? Did all your things get there okay?"

"Yeah, the movers got everything here fine. I'm mostly all moved in." Shego sat down on the couch and propped her feet up on the coffee table. The apartment was big and airy with two bedrooms and kitchen. Her parents had spared no expense on her living arrangements, including the furniture.

"Did you greet your neighbors yet?"

"It's still early, mommy," Shego sighed and tucked the cordless phone into the crook of her neck, leaning forward to arrange the books stacked on the table. Her dark hair, tied back in serviceable ponytail, gleamed in the morning sunlight streaming through the windows.

"I know, but you will at least find out what their names are, right? It's a good idea in case there's an emergency or you need help. Oh, here's your father."

Shego heard a low murmur and a giggle. She sighed again; her parents were disgustingly affectionate, even in front of their children.

"Oh, do you still have that horrid death trap?"

"It's called a motorcycle, mommy." As if to prepare for a long talk, Shego pulled at her rolled up sleeves and rose up to pace around the living room.

"Death cycle is more like it. A car's safer and you can carry your things in it."

"I can carry my things on my bike, too," Shego retorted. Her long denim clad legs paced faster. She switched the phone to her other ear and tugged her hair band off, examining herself in the mirror by the door. A pale face tinted the slightest green with dark green eyes stared back at her. She rubbed at a smudge on her cheek and wondered if the new school would stare much at her. They didn't know who she was, right?

"Hardly the point, all you have is that little leather bag box and you can't fit all your groceries in there."

"I can, too, mommy. I tried before, remember? It's just me, I don't need that many groceries and it's more gas efficient than a car."

"I wish you'd just taken the car instead, I'd feel much better if you had it. I don't want to think about my angel in some accident-"

Shego couldn't help it. She rolled her eyes. "Mommy, you're doing it again. You're guilt tripping."

"And I know you're rolling your eyes at me."

Shego scowled. How did she do that?! "Was not."

"Scowl all you want, young lady. And your father wants to speak to you."

"Angel?"

"Hey, daddy. I'm here at the apartment, safe and sound. Mommy already gave me a lecture about the motorcycle and the neighbors." Shego gave her reflection one last inspection and sat back down on the couch. She enjoyed talking with her father.

"I know, but humor your mother, all right? She worries and so do I. This is your first time away from home for so long."

"I'll be careful and all, I promise."

"Ah, you know she's going to visit you twice a month, right? Don't hide girls in your closet, that's the first place she'll look."

Shego flushed. "Daddy, that was ONE time. ONE. We didn't do anything, not like we were going to anyway."

"Mm, your mother's ability to sniff out your, ah, friends is uncanny. Don't underestimate her."

"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you, daddy."

"Who else but your father?"

"True. I love you, daddy, and tell mommy I love her and I'll miss you both. I have to get going for the first day assembly, I'll call you soon, okay?"

"That's my angel. Have fun at school."

* * *

"We're so late."

"Yes, we are. Maybe Barkin won't mind."

Vivian guffawed. "Yeah, no."

Kim frowned at the road. "Yeah…"

"Well, since we both want to avoid the inevitable Barkin chew outs, let's just turn this little car around…"

"No."

"But if we do, we could have the _whole_ day to ourselves. Imagine what we could do with so much time…" Vivian injected a wheedling tone into her voice.

"I said I'd come and I'm keeping my word."

Vivian sighed mournfully. "Sometimes I wish you weren't such a goody two shoes, Kimmie."

"Me, too."

They did indeed arrive horrendously late. Barkin stood guard at the front door and glared down at both of them. Vivian couldn't help it; she straightened her skirt and resisted the urge to check her blouse for stains. Barkin always made her feel like a teenage delinquent. Kim similarly stiffened her posture and hazarded a smile.

"What are you smiling at, Possible? Both you and Porter here are _late_." Barkin spat out the word as though it were something dirty. "Get inside the auditorium, before the horde gets antsy."

Vivian stifled a squeak and they sped past Barkin, exchanging nervous looks. Remembering where the auditorium was, the couple reached the stage in record time. Vivian took the side entrance and found a seat in the first row, which was reserved for school staff. Barkin marched out to the podium and the entire room erupted into applause and cheering when the school spotted their local hero.

Kim waved back sheepishly, conscious of Barkin's dark expression and grinding teeth. He slammed down his fist like a gavel on the podium repeatedly, roaring for silence and order.

"Quiet down, you animals! Anyway, late as usual, this year's Middleton High assembly speaker, Kimberly Possible, alleged former teen hero, is here."

Cue more applause. Barkin nearly turned purple. Kim dashed to the microphone to avoid the explosion. "Hey, Middleton High! It's really great to be back after so long!"

Kim wasn't really sure what she blathered on about for most of the assembly, but it probably made sense, given the claps she got from the riveted students. She thanked several gods that she was a cheerleader and therefore good at pep talks. She had long ago stopped worrying about what she'd say at public speaking functions and simply let her mind disconnect and her lips move. She had learned that when she did this, her speeches were strangely more coherent than when she was actually paying attention and she always talked about the most appropriate topics.

Vivian continuously gave her thumbs up throughout her speech and stifled a laugh at some point (Kim got the disturbing feeling that she had talked about sex, too, and dared not look over her shoulder at Barkin). Vivian started making subtle pointing motions at Barkin and Kim winced mentally.

_Ooh, yeah, probably bad…Need to make myself scarce after this is over…Maybe let myself get mobbed by some students?_

_

* * *

  
_

"Fuck! Damn it! ARGH, BALLS, I'M LATE."

Shego swerved into Middleton High's parking lot and managed to squeeze her bike into a vacant corner. She wouldn't have time to stow her helmet in her locker. And where was her locker? Didn't they handle that sort of thing on the first day? ARGH, LATE! Damn her bleeding eyeballs for driving too fast and then realizing that she hadn't the faintest clue where Middleton High School was. By the time she had found someone who could give her directions, she was already ten minutes late. She then drove too fast, avoided two accidents that would have proven her mother right, and found herself barreling through the front doors, black hair streaming dramatically behind her, helmet in hand and leather jacket unzipped.

This image would have been pretty sexy if Shego hadn't collided into a wall of solid muscle and fallen on her ass. Automatically expecting Hego, she raised her face up with a snarl and an expletive.

Steve Barkin was a man who took duty seriously. Even if it meant watching a pack of hormonal teenagers for four long years before he set them loose on the world for the cops to look after. So when he strode out of the school to hunt up a few stragglers to vent his Possible/Porter rage onto after the assembly fiasco, he was pleasantly surprised to find a Teenage Delinquent landing right on his lap.

Not really his lap, that was just a figure of expression. Really.

"What the FUCK, Hego?" Shego snarled up at the wall.

Barkin glared down at her, barely able to contain his glee. This was a bonafide Teenage Delinquent, right down to her biker boots. He almost rubbed his hands together, but kept them locked behind his back like a proper soldier. He opened his mouth and roared in Shego's face.

"I AM NOT HEGO. YOU WILL ADDRESS ME AS PRINCIPAL BARKIN. FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, DETENTION INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE AT THREE O'CLOCK SHARP. DISMISSED."

"What the fuck-"

"A CRIME REPEATER, EH? WE'LL BEAT THAT OUT OF YOU YET. DETENTION FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK."

Shego gaped up at the strange man in outrage, her mouth hanging open to swear the air blue. She managed to swallow her bile and get up with her tattered dignity wrapped tightly around her. She promptly lost it as the doors burst open and a gigantic mob of students flooded out, knocking Shego off her feet again and swarming past Barkin. Even Barkin's shout was drowned out by the crowd's chanting of "POSSIBLE, POSSIBLE, POSSIBLE."

Shego scrambled to her feet and climbed on top of a car, the car alarm promptly sounding. She ignored it and searched the crowd frantically. DAMN IT, I MISSED THE ASSEMBLY AND A CHANCE TO SEE THE KIM POSSIBLE?!

She spotted a flash of red and saw her, distantly, being carried away on the shoulders of what looked like two very tall cheerleaders with a blonde woman next to her, also being carried. She realized with horror that the two were being let down and into their car, waving with grins on their faces. She got ready to leap off the hood of the car to the next one and dash across the parking lot to Kim Possible's car.

"Hey! What the hell, get off my car, you jerk!"

"Working on it, sweetheart," Shego muttered, and jumped. For the second time that day, Shego lost her dignity. Someone had grabbed her ankle as she jumped and yanked her to the ground with surprising strength. Shego landed heavily on her already bruised ass and swore thoroughly. She got to her feet, rubbed her abused bottom gingerly and scowled at the girl who'd pulled her.

"You're not going anywhere until you pay for my car." The girl seemed to look at Shego from her head to the tips of her boots and approve of what she saw.

Shego was very irritated. "I'm not paying for shi-"

"Yes, you are." The girl, a brunette with hair cut in a short chic style, gave her a considering look, a gleam Shego couldn't quite discern in her eye. "This is a new, _expensive_, car and the entire school saw you dance on it."

"I didn't fucking dan-"

"And you're going to pay for it."

"I just told you-"

"By taking me out."

Shego wanted to scream. How much more could go wrong? She was late, didn't even get to see her hero, Kim Possible, much less hear her speak, got handed a week of detention and now _this?_

"Since it looks like we're going to be getting to know each other, I'm Bonnie Rockwaller. You?"

"Shego," she said, more out of defeat than reciprocal friendliness. She wanted very badly to go home now and wake up and pretend this was a dream. A very bad dream.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Hero Worship

**Chapter One**

**Author: **Requ

**Disclaimer: **Insert standard disclaimers here.

**Summary:** AU. What if Kim was the older and Shego the younger? How different would their lives be if their rivalry never existed? Eventual Kigo.

**Author's Note:** Okay, so this is actually the "official" chapter one. The other one is more of a prologue given its length and lack of exposition on this new universe. This is going to be a pretty dialogue heavy chapter.

Also, thank you for all the reviews! Nothing gets an author all pumped up then encouragement.

* * *

"So, uh, Rockwaller-"

"Bonnie's fine."

"Yeah, okay, Rockwaller, when do you plan on letting go of my arm?" Shego's expression was of pained resignation. Ever since Barkin had started herding students back into the building, Bonnie had kept an iron grip on Shego's arm as though it was the collar of an errant and easily excitable dog.

"You're taking me out."

"Yeah, you mentioned something like that, but you didn't say right this very damn moment."

"Well, everybody needs to see that you're taking me out," Bonnie glanced at her charge as though she had just realized that her errant and easily excitable dog was also very slow.

Shego waved her helmet and jacket in Bonnie's face. "Not really easy getting to class with my gear on me. I have to stow it in my locker and I need both arms for that."

"You can use my locker."

"I can use my own damn locker," Shego snapped.

"Where is it, then?" Bonnie asked, brow raised.

"In the science wing."

"I think we both know that you have no clue where your locker is.'

Shego swerved her head around to stare down at Bonnie's smirking face. "I know-"

"You showed up late. They already handed out locker assignments during homeroom and you were late, which means you didn't get one and you'll have to go to the main office to sort it out. Even if you denied that you _weren't _late, why would you have all your stuff on you?"

"Maybe I showed up late to homeroom, got my assignment and didn't have a chance to get to my locker."

Bonnie raised her brow again, amused. Argumentative little thing, she thought. "You definitely missed homeroom. That's why you were on my car, wasn't it? You wanted to see Kim Possible. You were late enough to miss both homeroom and the assembly."

Shit. Bonnie had her there; the girl was sharper than Shego had pegged for. Shego frowned ferociously.

"You can use mine for now and I'll show you where the main office is later. Come on, lover girl." Bonnie started dragging Shego away.

Jesus, the girl was strong. Shego groaned and wracked her brain for excuses that might work on the witch. "Rockwaller, I'm not a senior, you sure you want to be seen with an underclassman?"

Bonnie stopped and actually laughed at Shego. "How do you know for sure that I'm a senior?

Shego had no idea if she was a senior, but if she had a car, then she had to be at least seventeen. "You have a car."

"And you have a bike. Don't bother arguing that you could still be an underclassman. You're definitely a senior."

"The hell do you know?"

"Lowerclassmen have this look about them, this panicked look because they don't know if they're kids or adults. I know that look because that's what my sisters looked like before they got into senior year. Most seniors lose that look and you've _definitely_ lost it." Bonnie towed Shego towards the east wing as passerby stared at the odd couple.

"Argh, damn it, why me? Your damn car doesn't have a damn scratch or ding on it, you made it sound like I used it for a fucking trampoline."

Bonnie slanted Shego a look again, the one that made it clear what she thought of Shego's thought process.

Shego wanted very badly to bare her teeth like a rabid dog at the girl in response, who was half a head shorter than she was; it would be easy to shove her skinny ass into a locker.

"Because you look like a pretty good arm toy."

Shego choked and nearly smashed her helmet into Bonnie's smirking face.

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you're one of those girls who play stupid about her looks. Don't worry, I'm not going to keep you for long. After a few weeks, you can run with your crowd, if you have one, when I'm done with you that is." Bonnie spun her locker combination, entirely aware of, and enjoying, Shego's seething rage. She swung the locker open with a flourish and was quick enough to give Shego's cheek a mocking kiss.

"I assume you got your class schedule in the mail? I have U.S. history first period and you're probably in the same class; most of the seniors have the same schedule. In that case, ta ta, _girlfriend_." Bonnie fluttered her fingers at Shego in farewell and sauntered away.

Shego glared after her, grounding her teeth together. She eyed the locker, which was mostly bare except for a few notebooks and binders. A dark thought formed and she grinned. After glancing up and down the hallway to make sure nobody was nearby, she lit up and smashed her fist into the locker door, leaving a gaping hole in the center and then half melted it off its hinges. Immediately, she felt a surge of satisfaction and considered setting the notebooks on fire, but decided against it; the fire alarm might go off from smoke. For good measure, she welded the lower part of the door into the frame and adjusted the hole in the center to the shape of a heart.

Stepping back to examine her handiwork, Shego felt infinitely better. If the school demanded she pay for it, she'd gladly fork the money over; this certainly wasn't the first locker she'd ruined (Hego's was the first). With a bounce in her step, she then went up a nearby flight of stairs, found another row of lockers, all with combination locks. She melted one off, found the space welcomingly vacant and stowed her gear there.

Pursing her lips, she welded a small edge together as a makeshift lock and knew that if the locker indeed have an owner, it wasn't his or hers anymore. And she wouldn't have to deal with Barkin over the matter of her own locker.

Taking her folded class schedule from her back jeans pocket, she managed to find the history classroom before the bell rang.

* * *

The locker vandalism cheered her up so much that Shego only faltered slightly when she realized the only seat left in the history classroom was right next to Bonnie. She had a niggling suspicion that that wasn't coincidence, but sat down and pointedly ignored the other girl. She amused herself with images of the girl's reaction when she laid eyes on her newly remodeled locker.

To Shego's amazement and extreme disappointment, Bonnie only looked at the locker and proceeded to open one a few feet away, stowing her books away in a neat stack.

"What the hell! You have _two_ _lockers?_"

"That wasn't my locker, you idiot."

Shego gawked at Bonnie.

Sighing at her, Bonnie went to the abused locker, stuck her arm inside, groped around and fished out a notebook. She shoved the notebook under Shego's nose.

The words _Tara Elliot_ was emblazoned on a white label taped to the cover.

ARGH.

WITCH.

"Tara's not going to be happy," Bonnie remarked helpfully.

"It's your fault, I'm not taking the rap for this."

"Yeah, and does it look like I'm the one here with the plasma superpowers? Don't think so, genius."

"The hell, how do you know-"

"I watch the news sometimes," Bonnie sneered. "Your skin tone isn't that obvious, you just look pretty pale from a certain distance, but up close is a different story. Not that many green skinned girls out there, Miss Team Go."

"I didn't goddamn form Team Go, that was my brother, Hego, and I'm on a _break_. So, I'd appreciate it if you didn't spread the word, Rockwaller."

"I don't need to, most of the school probably already knows by now. And Barkin's going to find out sooner or later because a half melted locker is pretty hard to hide, hero."

"I'll pay for the damn thing, I was going to anyway if the school cared."

Bonnie raised a brow. "What, nothing about how your parents are going to kill you, how you'll be grounded for years?"

Now it was Shego's turn to sneer at Bonnie. "Wouldn't be the first time I decided someone deserved a little token of appreciation from me."

Bonnie only shrugged and put Tara Elliot's notebook back into her locker. "If I were you, I'd avoid Tara for now. She has a temper. She's the girl with the blonde wavy hair."

"Thanks, that really narrows it down."

"She's in a cheerleading outfit since it's the first day. There's a pep rally after school," Bonnie said absentmindedly.

"What, you want me to go?"

"Hm, might be a good idea actually. I am the captain of the cheerleading squad."

"_You?_"

"Me."

"Why aren't you wearing a cheerleader uniform, then?"

Bonnie's eyes shifted for an instant before refocusing on Shego. "No reason."

Shego caught it, but was still too disgusted at the thought of wasting her time watching girls prance around a football field to give it much thought. "School spirit really isn't my thing, Rockwaller."

"Bonnie."

"I know what your damn name is."

Bonnie's lips thinned into a firm line. "I'll let you off the hook if you show up to the pep rally and help us fill in a spot."

"I'd rather shove a damn pompom in my mouth and set it on fire."

"As fun as that sounds, I'm a little short on pompoms, actually. Anyway, I have backup cheerleaders, but a lot of them don't have too much experience actually performing in front of an audience. There's bound to be mistakes all over the place and I'd rather not the school think cheerleading is just something girls do when we're bored."

"Uh, I thought that was cheerleading."

Bonnie threw Shego a filthy look. Shego sneered.

"Yeah, I'll let that comment slide for now, hero. I'm sure you could learn our routine pretty quick, but I'd prefer if you just stayed in the sidelines."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it means: be visible from the squad."

"What, I'm your own private little mascot? That's pretty weird, even for a witch like you. I seriously hope this doesn't turn into a kink job."

Bonnie frowned at Shego. "I'm not going to molest you, you child."

Shego cupped her own breasts and let go. "You sure you're not talking about yourself, washing board?"

Bonnie sneered at Shego. "I'm starting to wonder if you're really here because you were kicked out of Go City."

"Came here on my own, valley girl. And I have detention with Barkin, so no pep rally."

"On the first day, you're late and you have detention? Impressive. Unfortunately for you, you'll just have to do your detention after the pep rally; the entire school staff is going to be outside for it. Not even Barkin's going to stay inside for it."

"Are you fucking serious?"

"It's most likely how they're going to do it. Show up to the pep rally, _hero_, and you won't have to deal with paying for an expensive date." With that, Bonnie turned and walked off to the next class, leaving Shego to seethe.

* * *

During lunch, Bonnie returned to fetch Shego, who had planned to drown her sorrows in a nearby café she'd spotted earlier during her frantic morning rush. Shego didn't know how the other girl did it, especially since her ass was already seated on her bike when she felt a yank at the back of her jacket.

Shego turned, goggled at the smirking girl and scowled. Bonnie simply jerked a thumb over her shoulder at Barkin lurking by the front doors, bulldog eyes fixed on Shego. Shego nearly flipped him off in return, but instead screamed, the sound muffled by her helmet. Furious, she yanked her keys out and stomped back to the school, Bonnie trailing her serenely.

In the school cafeteria, Shego settled for French fries and chewed ferociously, deeply resentful of the fact that the entire table consisted of what seemed to be only cheerleaders who openly stared at her. Some whispered behind hands and quickly blushed and looked away when they saw Shego glare at them.

Bonnie simply ignored the attention and shrugged off questions about where Tara was, leaving Shego to fend for her own skin.

Shego flushed at the name and chewed harder. Her ears pricked up, though, at the mention of Kim Possible.

A group of girls, not cheerleaders, sitting at a nearby table were talking excitedly, giggling and gesturing animatedly.

"Did you see her? Kim Possible! Oh, my God, she's so much hotter in person!"

"And her outfit was so nice! God, I wish I had hair like hers, too."

"It's so straight and mine's so curly, argh."

Shego glanced over her shoulder at the girl and noted that indeed, her hair was rather curly, though not unpleasantly so.

"Can you believe she went to college and still saved the world, like, a billion times? I would have died if I had to do all that."

"I know! And she did it alone in college, that guy who she was with, I thought he was her boyfriend or something -"

Shego grimaced. She remembered watching news channels for Kim Possible and wondering why she always brought that friend of hers along all the time; he seemed to mess up more often than actually help.

"Oh, God, no, I think he went to a different college and stopped, but _she_ kept going. And God, her girlfriend was so hot. She's a doctor, too!"

"Dr. Porter? She's not, like, a medical doctor, but I heard she was Kim Possible's dad's boss! Wow, awkward! But she's so hot and mature." The bit about Dr. Porter being Mr. Dr. Possible was actually false, but the rumor only made Dr. Porter all the more tantalizing.

"Mature? She's only like, what, twenty-eight? She's only, like, five years older than Kim Possible."

"Still! I'd just die if she even talked to me. So gorgeous." The entire table sighed simultaneously.

Shego was amused. Sure, Kim Possible's girlfriend was hot and so was Kim, but what about her combat skills? She had seen a few news footage videos catching Kim taking down various henchmen and villains and had been deeply impressed. The fact that Kim worked solo with only backup members for behind the scenes work like tech and equipment only made Shego admire her more.

The girls laughed. One said, "It's pretty cool that she still visits home so much even though she lives in Go City with her girlfriend. I mean, that means her family must be cool and all with her life, right?"

Shego scowled at that. Despite living in the same city for several months, Shego had never seen or even caught a glimpse of Kim Possible.

"Totally. I know my mom would freak if I stayed out after nine, much less save the world, God."

"Mine, too!"

Shego's vision was suddenly obscured by bright blue eyes. Shego blinked, then moved back in her seat to put space between herself and the curious cheerleader.

"Can I _help_ you?" Shego ground out. Personal space seemed to be a foreign concept to this creature.

"Do I know you?" The cheerleader asked, undeterred and apparently unaware of her impending doom.

"Don't think we've met," Shego replied, eyes narrowing.

"Oh, you must the new kid! Hey, I'm Tara!" The cheerleader stuck out her hand and Shego, caught off-guard, shook it. She hoped to God Tara hadn't seen her locker yet.

Shego felt a sudden chill to her left and turned to look for the source. Bonnie had stilled and was carefully avoiding looking at Tara. The rest of the table had started whispering to each other, as though tiptoeing around arguing parents. Shego arched a brow and turned back to Tara, who was still smiling.

Well, well, witch. Looks like trouble in cheerleader paradise. Shego decided to play it safe and smiled back at the blonde, who seemed unbothered by her teammates' reaction.

"Nice to meet you."

"Same! I thought it was pretty unusual for you to be sitting with all the cheerleaders since you're the only without a uniform, so I thought maybe you wanted to try out. I'm co-captain with Bonnie here," Tara said cheerfully.

"Oh, really," Shego grinned and glanced at Bonnie, who still hadn't moved. "Well, I'm not really into cheerleading, I'm just sitting here for today."

"Oh, that's too bad. Are you into any sports? Middleton has some pretty good girls' teams that you could totally try out for."

"Not really into sports either. Well, not team sports anyway," Shego grimaced. Team Go was one of the reasons why she didn't enjoy playing well with others.

"We have a tennis team, maybe you could try it? We're a pretty big athletics school, you could make friends a lot faster if you're on a sports team," Tara beamed. "Well, it was nice meeting you! You should come to the pep rally after school, I can show you around town if you're all moved in. Oh, well, maybe not today, actually, since I have to go get a new locker since someone seemed to have been playing with a blow torch on it today. Weird, huh?"

"Ah, hehe, yeah, weird…" Shego laughed nervously. She made sure her foot was ready to kick Bonnie if she decided to speak up.

"Oh, well, at least my stuff was safe. Anyway, catch you later!" Tara turned away, but stopped short and whirled back to face Shego again.

"Wait, I know where I've seen you! You're one of those Team Go heroes, aren't you? Yeah, the only girl, Shego!"

Heads turned at Tara's excited voice and Shego couldn't help but shrink back in her seat.

"Ah, yeah, I guess -"

Tara grinned hugely. "I saw you on TV! You were on the news, it said you had brothers, but you were all on your own saving a family from that car crash, melting the doors off to get them out! That was so cool!"

Fuck. Shego hoped fervently Tara didn't make the connection between her plasma powers and the melted locker. By this point, the entire cafeteria was chattering and pointing at Shego, who grimaced and hunched in her seat, praying that perhaps the floor would open up and swallow her.

"Really? You're Shego?"

"Wow, a real superhero!"

"That's so cool, another teen hero in Middleton!"

"Didn't think I was that popular," Shego muttered under her breath.

Tara had bounced away to talk to another cheerleader as the table around Shego erupted with exclamations and questions.

Bonnie elbowed Shego roughly in the ribs.

"Ow! What?!"

"You're totally coming to the pep rally, right?" Bonnie's voice was falsely bright, mostly because Shego knew her well enough by now to recognize the look in her eyes that promised painful retribution and the heel currently grinding itself into Shego's boot.

The entire table started chattering, all telling Shego to come.

Fuck! Cornered by cheerleaders, of all things. If her mother or father heard about this, they would never stop laughing.

"Er, well, I was actually – OW. Yeah, okay, okay, I was going to plan on coming, even though – OWW. Fuck, okay, I'll come, GO MIDDLETON, YEAH."

Bonnie nodded, apparently satisfied, eyes fixed on a point over Shego's shoulder.

When Shego glanced around, she only saw the entire cafeteria still staring at her. She swore vividly and shoved Bonnie's heel off her foot, resisting the temptation to give the brunette a kick in retaliation.

Goddamn cheerleaders.

* * *

Because it was a school and by the law of physics in schools, gossip traveled faster than the speed of light, so the entire student body knew within mere minutes that there was a new hero in town. Mostly, it was girls who goggled at Shego, who had learned to mostly ignore it from her experience in Go City.

During classes that Barkin was ubiquitously subbing for, he would fix Shego a look that simply dared her to do something out of the ordinary. She sneered in return and by the end of the day, he was cursing under his breath.

"Goddamn teen heroes every year…First Porter, than Possible and now plasma girl…"

If Shego heard him, she would have been very pleased.

* * *

"Wow, how did Barkin not burst a blood vessel from that?"

"I think he did when he got trampled."

"Oh. We should probably get out of Middleton, then."

"We're visiting my parents, remember?"

"We are? I thought we didn't have any plans after the assembly?"

"Well, it was sort of last minute. My mom didn't know about me being the guest speaker at the assembly, apparently, but she called last week asking if we had anything planned afterwards since she's taking an off day. She wants to see me."

"Hm, I don't remember that call."

"Yeah… I think I got it in the middle of a mission, so it sort of slipped my mind…"

Vivian grinned. "Slipped your mind, eh? This visit wouldn't have anything to do with you deciding not to go to graduate school and hiding out in Go City with me, would it?"

Kim coughed delicately. "Maybe."

"Is your mom really keen on you going? I didn't think she was, or your dad."

"It's not really about graduate school, Viv."

"Then what is it about?"

Kim tapped her fingers over the steering wheel. "I think my mom is more concerned about me still doing missions."

"Really? But you've been doing it for years. I thought they were okay with it, as long as you put your studies first. And you're out of school now."

"I know. But my mom's been asking me if I plan on stopping."

"Do you?"

"I don't think so, not yet anyway."

Vivian leaned back and watched her girlfriend drive them through the early morning traffic. "You know, both of us are pretty busy, you with missions and me with projects up to my eyeballs. Your mom's right that maybe you should consider cutting down on more missions if you want to do something else, like with your degree, but if missions is what you want, you know I'll support you."

Kim flashed Vivian a brilliant smile. "Thanks, sweetie. You know it means a lot to me that you got my back."

"And I'll do what can to keep you safe on those missions."

"I know, and I'm sure Wade appreciates the help. I know I do."

"Is your mom really angry or worried, though?"

Kim thought for a moment. "No, I think she's just worried that I might want a more normal life. You know, get settled down. If I do this for too long, I might pass up that chance, you know?"

Vivian reached over and touched Kim's hair.

The redhead glanced at Vivian, surprised.

"If you want a normal life, it's not too late to stop. Or cut down. GJ wants to recruit you, give you a good salary and benefits, and I'm sure there are lots of people who'd want to hire you. You're Kim Possible, superhero who saves the world every day, but you're still a normal person to me." Vivian's eyes were uncharacteristically soft.

Kim smiled and held the blonde's hand in her own.

"I know. But right now, I'm happy as things are and I think my mom just needs to know that."

Vivian smiled in return and leaned back into her seat. "So, should I stay out of your way for that?"

"You don't have to. My mom likes you, remember? Well, she likes anyone who watches my ass."

"It is a pretty ass."

"Vivian!" Kim blushed.

"Forgive the poor scientist who's seen more robot ass than real ones," she chuckled.

"Mhmm. My mom's been nagging on me for grandchildren, too."

"…okay, that I'm not so sure about."

Kim laughed. "I'm basically her only hope now."

"But… what about your brothers? Wait, they're not gay, right? Last I checked, I thought they weren't… And even if they were, why you? You're gay, too."

"Mmm, I think I'm her only hope for _normal_ grandkids."

"Who's to say that Jim or Tim won't have normal kids?"

"They're Jim and Tim? They blow stuff up all the time, can you imagine how their kids would turn out? Or if they blow up their kid?"

Vivian actually paled at this and turned to the window, muttering. "Why pick on us… Pick on the straight kids first, in my opinion…"

Kim grinned at her and kept driving.

* * *

**Author's Note:** The teenage gossip was surprisingly difficult to write. Sorry if it sounded off.

On another note, I'll do my best to keep this story updated and going at a good pace, though I'm surprised I'm still not done with the first day of school already.


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